Valve-mechanism housing



March 25,1930, G. D. ANGLE VALVE MECHANISM HOUSING Filed OCT. 23, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y.

March 25, 1930. G. ANGLE I VALVE MECHANISM HOUSING Filed Oct. 25, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M I N VEN TOR. B Y

ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 25, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GLENN D. ANGLE, 0F CINCINNATI, OHIO, .A'SSIGNOIR'. TO THE LE BLOND AIRCRAFT EN- GINE CORPORATION, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO VALVE-MECHANISM HOUSING Application filed October 23,1928. Serial No. 314,471.

My invention relates to radial engines, andthe cam follower, which is supported or guided in some section of the crankcase, or the valve rocker arm. Should this angularity be excessive and the loads high, the result is side thrust loads that develop rapid Wear on the valve gear mechanism. It is therefore desirable to so arrange the design that the angularity is at the minimum possible.

Since the valves are usually placed at an angle to the cylinder axis which cannot par allel the axis of the cam follower, or the rockers be conveniently made long enough so that the ends receiving the push rods are in the plane of the cam followers, it is practically impossible to eliminate the undesirable angularity entirely. However, in the arrangement herein proposed an approach to an ideal condition is obtained.

In this design the cam follower axis falls at some convenient angle to theaxis of the cylinder with which it is associated and the valves are inclined in the cylinder head at the angle considered best for good operating conditions. It is proposed to rotate the plane of the rocker arm about the axis of the valve until the end of the rocker is substantially in line with the axis of the cam follower.

In order to accomplish this proposed mode of, alignment thus avoiding ditficulties inherent in prior constructions, I have devised a certain novel arrangement and structure which permits of the arrangement noted, and

provides many advantages over any enclosed valve gear'of which I have knowledge.

I accomplish my objects by that certain construction and arrangement of parts of which a typical illustration is made in the drawings and described in the specification that follows, the novelty inherent therein being set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a top plan view of one of the cylinders of a radial engine, showing one of the rocker arm housings in place and another removed.

Figure 2 is a detail showing a cylinder in phantom, with the valves and valve operating structure in section.

Figure 3 is an elevation of a cylinder with one of the valve arrangements in section at a different View point from that shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged section of a rocker arm housing, showing a rocker arm, as supported therein in plan View.

Figure 5 is a view of the same parts as shown in Figure 4, with the rocker arm in elevation and the housing in vertical section.

I have illustrated in the several views an air-cooled internal combustion engine cylinder 1, which is one of the cylinder elements of a radial engine. Located in the head of the cylinder are the usual valve seats 2 and 3 for inlet and exhaust. The valves 4: have stems 5 guided in the bosses formed in the cylinder head above the seats, said stems being located so that their ends are engaged by rollers 6 on the rocker arms, whereby the valves are depressed.

It will be noted that the valve seats are at an angle, 'as are the guides and valve stems. The angle in my new improvement may be varied to suit the requirements of best operation of the engine without much regard to the push rod and rocker arm construction.

Around the opening in the cylinder beyond each valve chamber I form a symmetrical flange 7 which can have the same angle as the valye seat. I have shown a circular flange, but some other symmetrical shape will serve.

The rocker arm housings 8 may be uniform for all exhaust and intake valve assemblies, and will have a flange 9 to match the symmetrical fiange around the valve chambers in the engine cylinders.

In building the engine, the position of the rocker arm housings is determined in such a and project at whatever angle is convenient, outwardly to the rocker arms.

The rocker arms 12 are mounted in suitable bearings 13 in the housings 8, and have bifurcated ends, in the instance shown, to engage the stems of the valves. The rear ends of the rocker armsin the illustrated instance are split and formed into a boss 14,

which is arranged to engage a socket piece 15 clamped in the boss by drawing the ends of the split portion thereof together with a;

bolt, as indicated. The socket pieces may also be threaded, although thispart of the arrangement is not required, any rocker arm structure and means of engagement by the push rods being satisfactory. Springs 16 about the valve stems keep the valves closed unless operated by the push rods and in the instance shown, apply spring pressure to the push rods to keep them against the cam.

The push rod ends are seated in the sockets held in'the rocker arms, the housings having suitable apertures to receive the rods. I have illustrated the housings as entirely enclosing the rocker arms except for this orifice, which may be protected as desired.

In setting the housings in place, it is apparent that the flanges on the housings'will engage fully in any position revolved about on the flanges around the valve chamber openings.

All housings will have a series of holes formed about the flanges thereof, as indicated at 17in the enlarged view Figure 4. The flanges on the cylinder heads will have holes tapped and threaded therein, which will permit the housings to be swung to an angle with relation to the cylinder, which will bring the rocker arms within the housings'intocoincidence with the planes passing through the push rods for the housings in question.

Thus I have shown the flange 7 in Figure 1 without any holes indicating its condition before thelocation of the rocker arm housings has been determined. I

Allrocker arm housings can be manufac tured alike for intake and exhaust, the angle of the valves can be arranged to suitthe engine design without regard to the rods,the push rods can be extended radially at any convenient angle to the axis of'the crank shaft j ournals, and the shifting 'ofpos'ition ofthe rocker arm housings at'will, will prevent the development of twisting strains,

/ due to improper angularity of the push rods with relation to the rocker arms.

to take a full seat in various positions of radial adjustment upon the said engine flange, for the purpose described.

2. In combination in a cylinder for engines having a valve mounting structure, a valve therein, and an exposed stem for the valve, a. circular flange on the cylinder about the said exposed stem and concentric therewith, and a housing containing a rocker arm which is mountable upon said flange in a variety of radially adjusted positions.

3. In combination a cylinder-in a radial engine having a valve seat and valve at any desired angle, a cam and push rod device for operating said valve, said valve having a stem, a rocker arm having connection with the push rod, and with the valve stem, said rocker arm having a housing in which it is mounted, and said housing mounted on the engine at an angle which will bring the rocker arm into the same plane as the axis of the push rod.

4. In combination a cylinder in a radial engine having a valve'seat and valve at any desired angle, a cam and push rod device for having a housing in which it is mounted, and

means for mounting said housing on the cylinder so that the rocker. arm therein will lie in the same plane as the axis of the push rod.

5. A cylinder for a radial engine having, a

flange a out the valve operating chamber thereof, said flange concentric with the valve,

a rocker arm housing, and means for] mounting said housing in a variety of radial positions upon said concentric flange. I

GLENN D. ANGLE.

push, 

